The present invention relates to a guide mechanism for guiding a curtain airbag (curtain-like airbag) that is deployed along the side of the interior of a vehicle, and more specifically, concerns a guide member mounted to the pillar of the vehicle for guiding the longitudinal ends of the curtain airbag and a guide mechanism of a curtain airbag having a pillar garnish mounted to the pillar to cover the guide member.
In automobiles equipped with curtain airbag systems, the curtain airbag is inflated downward relative to a vehicle body along the side (such as a door and pillar) of the interior in the event of a side impact or rollover to protect the head of an occupant and to prevent the occupant from being thrown out of the vehicle when a window opens.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,938 discloses to provide a C-pillar with a guide member for guiding the rear end of the curtain airbag, which is inflated along the side of the interior, downward relative to the vehicle body and along the pillar.
The guide member disclosed in the patent includes a box-section member called a track and a slider member called an element arranged in the track and movable along the length of the track, a connecting strap called a tether at the rear end of the curtain airbag being connected to the element. Also there are provided one-way latches arranged at equal intervals substantially over the whole length of the track to prevent the slider member and the rear end of the curtain airbag, which has moved downward, from returning upward.
The track has mounting flanges at the upper and lower ends, each flange being mounted to the C-pillar with a bolt or a screw.